


Two's Company

by Bubonicc



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Enemies to Friends to Lovers, M/M, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Slow Burn, nsfw tags to come as story develops, stranded on a planet together
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-04-09
Updated: 2018-07-07
Packaged: 2018-10-16 20:55:04
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 15,329
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10579314
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bubonicc/pseuds/Bubonicc
Summary: Tossed out of the wormhole and onto an unknown planet somewhere far out in space, Shiro finds himself stuck on a planet with someone he doesn't expect to see.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Chap one is more for setting, I promise there is a lot of good to come in the second chap

He should have known it would have been a mistake to leave the safety of the inside of his lion, but with it offline and unresponsive, just how safe was it?

There hadn’t been much to remember the moment Shiro had woken up, at which point he had even passed out in the first place, he wasn’t sure. What he could recall was the wormhole destabilizing and being thrown out of it. Somewhere in-between being tossed around space he had lost the battle to consciousness.

How long he had been passed out, he hadn’t been sure, but upon waking, he had been relieved to know his lion had landed, or at least managed to get to some sort of solid ground. It certainly beat the alternative of being spit out into open space with no knowledge of the system he had been tossed into.

Despite being able to see a bit from his lion’s eyes, Shiro couldn’t really see much through the fogged glass beside the distinct outline of what he could only guess were trees. Unable to get a good sense of any other part of the area without exiting his lion, Shiro huffed in frustration.

“Damn it.” Pulling himself up from the pilot's chair, Shiro flinched as the wound on his side throbbed in protest. “ _Tsk_.” In all of the commotion he had almost forgotten about the wound Haggar had carved into his side. Despite all the time that had passed the wound glowed brighter than ever, only emphasizing the need for Shiro to get up and find help. The longer it went untreated, the faster he would deteriorate. Not to mention the fact he might not be the only one in need, his team was out there… _somewhere_.

Stumbling over to the ladder leading up to the lions head hatch, Shiro took one painful step after another. Upon popping the hatch open and climbing out onto the top of his lion’s head, he stood and looked around.

They had landed on some sort of a river bank, Shiro’s lion’s body having landed half way in the water while the backend of it rested in the crater it had made upon impact. Behind it there were also clear signs it had slid from its original impact area, having demolished every tree on its way down before finally resting in the water.

Despite being surrounded by trees and alien brush, there had been no other sign that another lion had landed in the same area. With the tree line being too high for him to see and the trees behind condensed together in such close proximity, it was impossible for him to see if there was rising smoke from another crash site. As far as he could tell, he was completely alone where he was, and of course the wormhole had already closed in the sky the moment they had popped through it. Not that that had mattered much, even if it had remained

“Hello? Can anybody hear me? Is anybody out there?” He waited a moment, listening to nothing but the soft pop and click of static emitting through his com. “Can anybody hear me? Keith? Lance?” He waited again, but still nothing.  “Damn it.” With his augmented hand pressed to his wounded side, Shiro turned around and faced his lion’s dark eyes. “Just wait here and rest, I’m going to see if I can’t get a signal.” For now the best thing he could do was find higher ground and hope to get a signal out. With any luck somebody might pick it up.

Walking with a slight limp to the edge of his lion’s nose, Shiro allowed himself to step off the edge. Falling nearly all the way to the ground before activating his jetpack, Shiro dampened his fall. If he had been in better condition perhaps he could have nailed the landing, but instead he came down on weak knees and collapsed onto his hands and knees into the river’s water.

Slowly standing up, a part of him had been thankful the river had been no deeper than his calves, reassuring him that if he left his lion alone for a while it wouldn’t sink while he was away. The last thing he needed to deal with was a lion at the bottom of a river bed and for now he counted himself lucky for landing in a relatively nice area.

“Alright-” Panting and placing his hand back on his wounded side, Shiro turned towards his lion. Reaching up and resting his free hand on a small section of its mouth, he rubbed up and down slowly. “I’ll be back big guy. Just wait for me here.” Allowing his hand to slide from the damp metal, Shiro turned and faced the dense forest.

There had really been no particular path to go, with the land being overgrown and untouched by anybody, it all looked the same. At this point it didn’t matter which way he went as long as it lead him to higher ground. As much as he hoped to run into a small alien civilization it seemed unlikely, and what were the chances of them being friendly? In truth though it wasn’t unlikely, so far most of the aliens he had come into contact with were more or less friendly towards anybody not galra, so at least he had that going for him.

“Ngn~” Haggar’s wound throbbed and he staggered, catching himself on the trunk of a tree. “Come on,” God he was tired, and as much as he wanted to rest he couldn’t. When he found the others he could rest, for now he had to forge on as long as he could. If he took it slow he could make it a good mile out from his lion, and hopefully that would be all it takes to get a signal. If he had to go further he would, no matter how much it hurt, “move.” Pushing himself off and away from the tree’s trunk, he stumbled on, getting his bearings and once again making his way through the brush and vanishing.

 

* * *

 

He hadn't made it more than a mile from where is lion had landed before sweat had started to bead on his forehead. Every few minutes he could feel a bead stream down the side of his temple and each time he would bring the back of his free hand up to brush it away. His mouth at this point had gone dry from panting, and he had regretted not filling a small canteen with water by the river, but then again what were the chances of the water being good enough to drink in the first place. If anything at least it gave him something other than an offline lion to look forward to on the way back.

Walking had already been a difficult task but each step after the other had suddenly become significantly more difficult than the last as time went on. The simple vibration from putting his foot down had left his wounded side screaming in agony and more than once he had to lean against a tree and wait for the pain to subside before moving on. Just a little more, just a little longer, someone might have been just around the corner, he had to try.

Coming out of the brush and into a small clearing, Shiro paused in the center, taking a moment to catch his breath and think of which way to go next. By this point he had been sure he had reached some higher ground, but every time he opened his communication link with the other paladins he still received nothing but static.

"Hello, can anybody hear me? This is Shiro." Still the static buzzed. "My lion is down and I-" A loud _snapping_ noise sounded from behind Shiro, loud enough that he had heard it over the com's static.

Cautiously, Shiro turned around and faced the direction the noise had come from. Another snap sounded and he spread his feet apart getting into a defensive pose while raising his right hand, augmented fingers at the ready.

"Hello? Is anybody there?" The bushes about twenty feet from him rustled, but nobody answered, "I'm not here to hurt anybody." Licking his lips and swallowing, Shiro took a step back from the bushes.

The last thing he needed right now was a fight, sure he could look intimidating, but in his current condition he wasn't going to last long. His best bets were to run, and even then how long _could_ he run, he had exhausted himself walking just the mile.  

A large paw, decorated with thick claws plopped out from inside of the bush. A second popped out and with it a face. Massive tusks jutted out from the animal's mouth, and just at that distance Shiro had been he could tell right away it was at least three times the size of him. From what he could see it was scaly with sharp spines sticking from its back, though the thing that caught Shiro's attention were the long hooked claws on each of its four feet. No doubt for tearing prey apart.

It lurched from the bushes, dropping its head only to curl its lip back and reveal rows of teeth equally as sharp as its tusks. Pawing at the ground, it stepped forward, closer to Shiro as the paladin took a more frantic step back.

"Shit-" Keeping his hand raised and his palm steady, Shiro glanced to the left and right for a way to run. If he could get a jump on it he might be able to get far enough to hide from it because at this point there was no way he was going to be able to outrun it.

The beast tossed its head back, snorting into the air, its long tail snapping behind it. Hunkering down, it wiggled and finally jumped forward to attack. Arms out, it aimed its claws right for Shiro's chest.

Ducking and rolling to the right, Shiro whirled around to face the best as it landed hard in the grass. It screeched, displeased it missed its meal but rushed Shiro again when it saw him. Swiping at him, it missed again when Shiro rolled to the left, his augmented hand humming to life.

As Shiro was about to thrust his fingers forward at the beast, the purple glow from his augmented hand flickered and vanished.

"What?" Looking at his augmented hand in utter shock, he tried to activate it again, but the augment wouldn't respond.

The beast swiped again, this time managing to rake its claws across the front of Shiro's armor. It dug in, slicing it open to leave deep gouges along the plating, but not enough to break through to skin.

"Ah!-" The impact sent Shiro flying to one side causing him to land hard on his belly. Without looking up, he rolled to the right, causing the pouncing monster to miss and stomp the ground instead.

Getting his hands under himself and pushing himself up onto his feet, Shiro ran. It didn't matter at this point which way he went as long as it was away from that thing.

"Come in, anybody!" Shouting into his com, Shiro leapt over a fallen log. Coming down hard on his heels, his knees buckled and he fell to his hands and knees. He forced himself back up, refusing to let the thing behind him get him. "Can anybody hear me?"

A loud howl sounded from behind him and he could hear the monster’s galloping footsteps gaining on him.

"Come on! Come on!" Whipping his right hand out to try and activate his arm, the fingers just refused. They hummed and flickered to life a few times but ultimately burnt out after only a few seconds.  With no bayard to defend himself and his augmented arm doing nothing more than being an actual arm, Shiro was defenseless.

A loud roar sounded behind the exhausted paladin and he whirled around in time to see the beast leaping at him again. Mouth open it turned its head slightly to the side in an attempt to snap Shiro with one bite.

"No!" Throwing his hands out, Shiro grabbed the beast's tusks. Jerking its head up to avoid the bite, its body slammed into him instead. The momentum of the impact sent them rolling in a heap. Bouncing and sliding, together they rolled off a narrow slope.

They collided with a small ridge, the impact jostling them apart as they continued to fall. Shiro tried his best to grab onto anything to slow his decent, but the rocks and vines came loose whenever he grabbed them. Instead he fell quickly, his back bouncing off the unforgiving around and his helmet flying off his head as he finally came to a hard stop at the bottom.

His ears rang and when he managed to let his eyes flutter open the world around him wobbled as his senses struggled to process what had just happened. Every joint hurt and every breath caused his chest to ache, but with trembling arms he pushed himself from the dirt.

A few feet away the beast that had fallen with him was also struggling to get up. Knocked silly during the fall, it shook its head and snorted in frustration.

"Shit-" Digging his fingers into the dirt, Shiro tried to get up faster, but the wound along his side throbbed in protest to any further movement. It sent searing hit bots of white light through his vision, and despite keeping one hand pressed to it, it did little to soothe the agony.

A heavy paw came down hard against Shiro's back, slamming his face back down into the mud. Thick and heavy claws dug into his armor again and the monster roared into the back of his head as he struggled.

Raking its claws down his back, Shiro felt his armor crack apart and crumble. A single claw sliced along his back and he screamed. It did little to nothing to scare the thing off as it just kept clawing. Breaking apart the armor until finally it reared its head and snapped its mouth down. Lifting Shiro up from behind, it shook him about like some toy until finally the last bit of his chest armor gave way.

The compromised chest piece shattered and Shiro felt himself hit the ground. Above, the beast kept shaking the chest piece around, thinking it still had him.

Taking his chances and bolting, Shiro ran behind the beast, running along the slope he had fallen in hopes of finding a path to get back up. Unfortunately for him it was too steep and with no fallen trees in sight for him to use as a bridge, he just had to keep running.

Behind him a howl of frustration sounded as the beast no doubt finally realized the bit of armor it was shaking about no longer had its meal in it. Soon after the sound of its galloping footsteps grew louder and louder and Shiro didn't have to look back anymore to know it had been gaining on him once more.

Ahead only a few yards Shiro could see what looked like a cave, or at least a crease in the land that perhaps he could squeeze into. Hiding at this point would be fruitless as the beast would always be able to catch up to him. As of right now his best shot at getting away from this thing was getting somewhere it couldn't reach him and waiting it out. At some point it would get bored of him and move on, right? Either that or he was about to corner himself and this was the end game, either way the odds were not good.

Rushing the cave, Shiro didn't slow down when he realized the hole was a lot narrower than he had first thought. No matter, if anything that was better.

A part of him was glad the beast had torn his chest armor off as he realized he probably wouldn't have fit through the crack with it on. Having to turn himself sideways upon reaching it, he had to force himself through. The fit was tight and he had to suck his breath in to squeeze through enough to enter.

Ignoring the rocks digging into his skin, he pushed and pushed until finally he popped inside, falling hard onto his hands and knees into the narrow space. Immediately he pressed his back to the wall, getting as much distance from the entrance as possible as the beast slammed into it seconds later.

It hissed and snarled, its nose pushing into the crack but failing to make it through. Instead it pushed its paws through, clawing at the ground and walls to try and make the space big enough for it to get in. For now, it couldn't.

Taking a moment to catch his breath, Shiro glanced down at his side were to hand was pressed to his wound.

Blood was streaming through the cracks in his fingers, dripping down his wrist towards his elbow. Upon lifting his hand to get a better look at the damage, he hadn't been surprised to see his blood soaked palm. Carefully, he placed his trembling hand back down and let his head fall back against the wall.

"Tsk... haha." He couldn't help a chuckle as the world around him wobbled a little harder. The beast's thrusting arm was just a blur now, and its huffed cried of frustration seemed so far away.

_Shiro._

"Keith?" Shiro's lips were dry and cracking. "Keith?" He spoke again, his voice husky. "I'm here."

_Shiro, just hold on, I'm coming!_

"Keith, I'm here. I... there's a-" Head suddenly feeling heavy, Shiro felt himself swaying. "Keith... hurry."

_I'm close! Just hold on! I have your signal! I'm coming!_

Slouching in place, Shiro let his eyes flutter closed for a few seconds only to snap them open when he realized he was fading out.

The beast, which Shiro could only identify as a massive gray blob suddenly moved back away from the crack. It howled and stomped its feet as something... _someone_ challenged it.

The scuffle could be heard and it hadn't lasted more than a minute before Shiro heard a loud squeal of pain, a snap, and then the loud _wump_ of something heavy hitting the ground.

There was a long pause, a painfully long pause before finally something started to move between the crack Shiro had wedged himself through.

"Keith?" Reaching his augmented hand out towards the mass, his eyes squint when something large and purple pushes through. "Kei-?" A hand reached out towards him as well, but it was _big_ and _clawed_. Next was the familiar outline of fluffy ears, those that belonged to a _galra_.

"Champion?" The voice was heavy, slightly confused, but oddly familiar. It was all he had heard before his world had finally cut to black, leaving him slack against the wall and his raised hand falling by his side.

Snagging Shiro's face and squeezing his cheeks together, Sendak snarled. Digging his claws into the dirty flesh, he watched for any kind of reaction, but instead, Shiro remained lax.

Nose wrinkling as the strange scent of blood suddenly filled his senses, Sendak glanced down at Shiro's other hand, now loosely pressed to his side. Despite the cramped caves lack of light, the blood was painfully obvious against Shiro's pale skin.

"Mmm-" Squatting down by the Champions side, Sendak removed his hand from Shiro's cheeks and instead removed his hand from his side. Palm bloodies, side torn apart, other obvious wounds and ware. He was drenched in sweat, wheezing, and just from the look of him in poor condition over all. How long had the little whelp been going on like this? "Tsk." At this rate, if left alone, Shiro would no doubt bleed out in a matter of hours. If somehow he managed to survive that, infection would no doubt get him in the end.

Standing and grabbing Shiro by the collar of his shirt, Sendak dragged him towards the hole in the cave. Carefully he dragged him and himself through it back to the outside world.

A few feet from the cave’s entrance, the beast that had plagued Shiro for so long lay crumpled at an impossible angle. Its neck had been twisted and no doubt snapped and then left to rot where it had fallen.

Tilting his nose up, Sendak gave the air a quick sniff before finally turning to face Shiro. Kneeling down, he pulled the exhausted human up over his good shoulder like a sack of potatoes. Bouncing him in place a few times to get comfortable, Sendak splayed his hand over Shiro's back to keep him secured in place. Turning away from the crumpled beast and the cave, Sendak walked.  


	2. Chapter 2

Everything was heavy, including the eyelids that he couldn’t seem to get open, no matter how many times he had tried. He had tried to make a noise- something, anything- but he had been sure his mouth had opened with no sound. He tried to shift in place. Wherever he was, he had tried to move. He needed to move, but nothing would budge. Either his body was too exhausted and heavy, or he was finally dead and forever floating in some void.

        Something below stung, his abdomen or what he could only imagine was his abdomen burned like fire. He shifted, his heavy hands twitching and his fingers curling against something.

        “Ngn!” He heard himself that time, his voice muffled in his own ears. He hadn’t realized the ringing he had been hearing until the burning sensation below amplified. “NGN!” He jerked in place, his face scrunching and his eyes finally peeling open.

        At first he hadn’t even been sure he had opened his eyes until the ring of darkness receded enough for him to make out something below. No amount of blinking or shakes of his head cleared the tunnel vision anymore, and the harder he squinted, the worse it became.

        A figure had been looming over him, their body and face nothing but a massive blur of purple. They moved as if time had been slowed down, or at least that’s what it seemed like through Shiro’s eyes. Their hand moved over his abdomen and as he struggled to watch his vision seared white.

        “NHN!” The pain came again and he jerked, one heavy hand lifting only for something to catch it out of the air and force it back down to his side. Through the ringing in his ears he heard a voice, deep and far too slowed down for him to make sense of it.

        Something trailed along his skin. Something cold and gooey, and when it hit the spot he knew his skin was sliced open, the pain came again.

        He wasn’t sure if he screamed, but he knew he opened his mouth to do so. He had to have been with the way his throat ached, and the way he ached from whatever it was he had been laying on. He had to have been loud, had to have been making too much of a fuss, because the hand that had caught his wrist splayed out on his chest and shoved him back down.

        Vision tunneling, Shiro tried to grab at the arm holding him down. Grabbing it, any attempt to shake it off was fruitless. His grip was weak and he only managed to grip it for a few seconds before finally his hand started to slide against what felt like fur. Even attempting to knot his fingers into it had failed, and it wasn’t long before his grip would let go entirely.

        Heaving, it had been useless to try and stay conscious, his exhausted body was winning, and he let it. Hand dropping, Shiro’s head fell to the side, his body relaxing as he let the void consume him one more time.

        How long he had managed to float off somewhere else, he was unsure, but the ringing had subsided. Body slightly less heavy and eyes willing to open with minimal fuss, they fluttered wide.

        Vision still distorted, he winced when his head throbbed bitterly. In an attempt to sooth the pain, Shiro tried to lift his hand, a bit of relief washing over him when it was significantly easier to do so than before. All too often he had woken up with his limps strapped down to a table and lab techs swarming around him.  The relief continued when he felt his hands bump against something draped over him.

        A blanket, or at least that’s what he thought it was, before he felt it a little more thoroughly. It was a  pelt, to be precise, being utilized as a blanket, and only then did Shiro process he was laying on something soft.  A bed, or a primitive one, which meant that wherever he was had people, and people kind enough to save him.

        A soft crackling noise had drawn his attention to his right to where a fire had been burning calmly. The flames looked like they were dying down, as if whoever had been tending to it had left it alone for too long.

        The light provided by the fire had shed some light as to where Shiro had been laying. The walls were jagged and covered in bits of moss, the ceiling littered with stalactites. It was fairly large, cozy even.

        Struggling to sit up from the place he had been laid, Shiro winced when the pain in his side protested to his movement.

        “Ah-” The pelt slid from his body as he looked down, one hand cupping at the spot Haggar’s wound had been. “Huh?” Letting his hand fall away, he eyed the dirty bandages. Stained with blood and a strange gooey substance, Shiro felt his eyebrows knit together.

        He had been stripped of his armor, his shirt, but not his spandex pants.

        “My armor-” Voice hoarse and hinted with panic, Shiro looked up and around. Almost immediately he saw the black and white design of his paladin suit, stacked neatly in the corner of the cave. A part of him had been comforted to see it, but his stomach turned at his cracked helmet.

        Sitting back against the wall and pulling the pelt back up against his body, Shiro let his eyes wander the cave. It had been clear _someone_ had been living in it. Judging from several other pelts hanging on rocks across the room, and what appeared to be some crudely made tools around the fire pit.

        The cave’s entrance hadn’t been far, considering Shiro could see it from where he had been sitting. The sky outside was growing dark, and briefly he wondered just how long he had been out. Was it still the same day he had crash landed, or had he been unconscious for days.

        At least he was alive and had friendly locals to thank for it. Memory a blur he had been sure he would have died if not for whoever had found him and carried his sorry ass to safety. He’d have to thank them and hope they were intelligent enough to have some way of contacting the rest of Voltron. The sooner he got back to the others the better, if they were even still alive.

        The wave of nausea rolled through his stomach again as he realized the others might not have been so lucky. As far as he knew, they could all be lost, or worse, dead. With a shake of his head he tried to clear it from his mind. His team was capable, smart, and he shouldn’t doubt them.

        A rustling noise outside of the cave drew Shiro from his thoughts. He stiffened, feeling his heart suddenly start to pound in his chest.

        Listing his augmented hand he tried once more to activate it. Much to his displeasure his fingers glowed for only a few seconds before burning out. _Still_ it malfunctioned, and no amount of shaking his hand seemed to remedy it. No matter, at least he had _two_ fists.

        The rustling continued for what felt like forever but finally Shiro caught a glimpse of the stranger's back. It wasn’t really enough to make out what they looked like but the fur was obvious. Their head was down, dragging something towards the cave’s entrance as they moved one heavy step at a time. After a minute they dropped whatever it was and stood tall, huffing from the work.

        “Hello?” Shiro’s voice rings out cautiously and the figure just outside of the cave straightens. “Are you the one who brought me here?” His voice echoed slightly.

        The being outside looked over their shoulder, their long fluffy ears standing tall and rotating back to listen to Shiro’s voice. A loud grunt or maybe a chuckle escaped the being before finally they turned and stepped before Shiro.

        “Awake at last,” Shiro’s eyes widened at the sight before him, “champion?” Sendak smirked, his ears flicking forward as he relished that look on Shiro’s face.

        “You-” Shiro whispered, a knot forming in his throat s Sendak stepped closer. Just past him, Shiro could see the thing he had been dragging, the beast that had been after him before. Its neck was twisted at an impossible angle, had Sendak managed to kill that thing on his own?

        Eyes darting back up to Sendak the moment the galra advanced on him, Shiro jerked back. Slamming against the rock wall he grit his teeth, his side burning as it reminded him any sort of movement was unadvised.

        "What's the matter? You look like you've seen a ghost?" Seeming to get off on Shiro's panic, Sendak's mouth curved to reveal a toothy grin. Further amused when Shiro pushed back off the wall and tossed himself to his feet, Sendak put his single hand on his hip.

        He was shirtless, his large druid arm gone thanks to the paladins having confiscated it after disarming it during battle with him the last time they had met. There was nothing left in its place except the druid docking piece that bit into Sendak's skin. Even without it, he was massive, alarming, and menacing. The red optics covering his scarred eye had also been cracked, but it didn't seem to bother him; of the fact that he lacked an arm entirely.

        Throwing his hands up and clenching them into tight fists, Shiro took a fighting stance. Legs spread and body sturdy, he tightened himself, ready. Or so he had thought. The sweat running down his forehead was a dead giveaway he was panicking, and the gloss in his eyes suggesting he was still in an ample amount of agony, but this was nothing new. He'd fought off dozens of monsters and aliens inside of the Galra coliseum, hundreds even with nothing but his hands at times, he could do this. Or so he thought.

        Lurching forward with a harsh cry, Shiro threw a single punch directed at Sendak's face. Despite feeling like he had moved as fast as he could, he wasn't enough.

        Snatching Shiro's fist out of the air like it had been nothing but an annoying bug, Sendak squeezed.

        "AH!" To add insult to injury, Sendak didn't let go when Shiro tried to pull away, instead he kept squeezing his hand, feeling the paladins bones start to strain. "NGN!" The pressure perused and Shiro felt his kneels wobbling, and he knew Sendak wanted him to drop down. He would have loved that, wouldn't he? To see the former champion on his knees in front of him, after just one punch, well he wouldn't have it.

        Jerking Shiro's fist forward, Sendak collided the paladins own hand with his face. Stunning Shiro, he shoved the champion back, causing his body to hit the wall.

        Reeling from the blow, Shiro tried to get his fists up, his reaction too slow. As his fists came up, Sendak snagged his wrist and whirled him around, shoving him chest first into the wall. Painfully yanking his arm behind his back and hiking it up until Shiro cried out, Sendak pressed himself against Shiro's back, pinning him.  

        "Ge-get off!" He struggled at first, but the more he wiggled the more he felt the wound under his bandages tearing open. It throbbed, and he felt sick, so sick his vision began to tunnel and he panicked. He growled and snapped, trying to look as pissed off as possible, but Sendak's confident look never faded. Blood had oozed thickly from Shiro's nose, his upper lip a bit swollen from his own fists impact.

        Sendak's breath splashed over Shiro's neck, his body shivering in response to the unwanted closeness.

        "Glad to see the champion still has some fight in him." Sendak's fur tickled at his back but the sensation of his claws digging into the skin around his wrists was drawing his attention the most. "Hehe." What sounded like a purr erupted from Sendak's throat, and just like that the pressure was gone.

        His restrained arm fell to his side, the sensation of Sendak's fur against his back vanishing. Having expected the galra to cold clock him the moment he turned around, he cautiously looked over his shoulder.

        Sendak had turned away from him and was making his way over to a rock by the fire. Sitting himself down on it, he picked up a stick and started to poke at the dying fire.

        "How?" Slowly turning around and pressing his back to the cool stone of the wall, Shiro wiped the blood from his lower lip with the back of his wrist.

        "Same as you." Sendak's tone was a bit stale as he prodded the fire back to life. "When your crew sentenced me to death by ejecting my pod from the castle, I assume I had floated around in space. For exactly how long I don't know but eventually it drifted here. Fell into the atmosphere and crashed. The fact it even held together was impressive but upon impact it hadn't opened." He didn't look up at Shiro; instead he scratched the back of one puffy ear. "I was in it for weeks, maybe months judging by how the vegetation grew around the pod. Eventually it opened, and I got out, broke my way out really."

        Keeping his distance, Shiro kept a single hand pressed against his aching wound and listened. His face was skeptical, not trusting Sendak in the slightest.

        "It powered down, the main power supply finally letting go and awaking me from the stasis.  It didn't open the hatch though, and I had to smash my way out." No small task with only one arm, but here he was. "Spent days looking for people, anyone really that could get me off this pathetic planet but as far as I scouted, nothing. It's uninhabited, nothing but the wildlife you have already met."

        Face paling, Shiro felt himself sliding down the wall until finally he fell into a heap of his own legs. Weakly crossing them, he let his head hang for a moment before his hoarse voice sounded.

        "How?" He asked again, grit in his voice this time.

        "How what? How did I survive all this time alone?" He tossed his head back, his ears pinning as he let out a bellowed laugh. "You humans think you're so tough, so skilled when it comes to survival, but what do you really know? Nothing. Galra are resilient, built for this. We're strong, faster, and dominant-" His ears flapped forward again. "We can survive where you cannot. You hairless things are squishy and so easily broken. I survived because I was made for it, you? Tsk, you would have died if I left you where you were."

        "Why save me?" Shiro interrupted, his eyes wandering to Sendak's and noticing one of his ears twisting backwards to listen to some noise he himself couldn't hear.

        There was no answer, at least not right away. Instead Sendak poked bitterly at the fire before taking in deep breath.

        "I saw your lion come out of the wormhole, saw it fall and saw the crash. Figured if I could get to you-" The stick he was holding snapped and he tossed the bit in his hand into the fire, "I could get off this rock." He sat back and placed his palm on his own thigh, thinking. "You crashed several miles from where I was so I had to hike. By the time I had gotten to the lion you were gone and the damn things shield was up. Couldn't get inside of it."

        Trying not to sigh too loudly, Shiro was pleased the lion's defenses were still working properly. That though still didn't mean much if he couldn't get it up and running.

        "I followed your tracks. Wasn't long before I found you, running away screaming." Sendak chuckled to himself but kept going, "Without you alive to get into that lion, I'm stuck here, so I took you. No need to add insult to injury stranding me here with the one thing is the cause of me being here." Sendak's face softened a bit, but he shook it away, the hard look returning. "You would have been dead by nightfall if those things hadn't gotten to you first." Gesturing to Shiro's wound, Shiro self consciously covered it a bit more, only now realizing Sendak was the one who had stripped him and tended to him.

        "How do you know how to treat a wound like-" He paused, his eyes noting all of the scars along the galras own sides and back.

        "I've had my share of the druid's wrath." He shrugged, his hand absently rubbing at a scar just under his ribs. The fur hadn't quite grown back and his purple skin shown. "It will take a few days to heal, but you'll live."

        A few moments of silence passed between them before Shiro stood himself up and pushed away from the wall. Heading over to the area his armor had been placed, he started to gather it into his arms.

        "What are you doing?"

        "Leaving." That had Sendak's ears standing straight up and he shot to his feet.

        "Leaving?!" He snapped, practically growled. He jumped in place when Shiro walked past him, head high, determined to ignore him.

        Exiting through the cave's mouth, Shiro managed to get only a few feet away before a strong hand clasped his arm. It didn't yank him back, but it did prevent him from going any farther.

        "You're being a fool." Sendak snarled, his ears pinned back bitterly.

        Wrenching his arm away, Shiro stepped away from him.

        "Am I your prisoner now? Haven't had your fill?" Shiro snapped back, struggling to hold all of his armor. "What are you going to do?" He watched as Sendak just stood there, his visible eye searching the ground as he thought of what to do. "Tsk." Turning away and starting to walk again, Shiro heard Sendak yell.

        "How far do you think you're going to get in the condition you are?" Sure the wound on Shiro's side had been tended too but the tussle from earlier had irritated it and he was still dizzy. He himself hadn't been sure exactly how far he could get but he didn't exactly want to stay here. "How far do you think you _can_ get before those beasts come after you?" His body was screaming in agony, begging him to just rest, there was no way he could handle another chase like before. He won't get far, he knows it, and Sendak knows it.

        Standing in silence with his back to Sendak, Shiro says nothing, and eventually he hears Sendak curse something in a language he knows belongs to the galra.

        "So be it." Behind him he hears shuffling and the sound of Sendak's footsteps echoing back into the cave.

        _Damn it_.

        Gritting his teeth until his jaw hurt, Shiro squeezed his eyes shut.

        _Damn it!_

        Taking in a deep breath in an attempt to settle his nerves, Shiro let his head fall back. Opening his eyes and staring up into the now dark sky, he searched the stars for any kind of hope. Lowering his head the moment he heard a far off howl from what he could only assume were more of those _things_ , he turned to the cave. Weighing his options, this was it.

        Stalking back into the cave and dropping his armor unceremoniously back into the corner, Shiro sat himself down by it. Slouching and crossing his arms, he meekly held at his side with one hand. Rubbing at it with the tips of his fingers to sooth the ache, he looked everywhere except Sendak.

        Raising an eyebrow at the paladins pout; Sendak's ears flicked backwards, sort of drooping as he listened to the nights noises. He had something in his hand, something around that he was working his thumbed claw into. It took a moment, but it broke apart, a bit of fluid falling out of it before Sendak balanced the two halves in his palm. Holding them skillfully in his fingers, he extended his hand to Shiro.

        "Here," He coaxed Shiro to take it but saw the skeptical look. "It's fruit." He tilted his hand so Shiro could see the seeded inside. "It's not poisonous it that's what you're worried about. I know you're hungry."

        He was starving, terribly thirsty, and it took all his willpower not to snag the fruit from the galra's palm.

        "How long have I been unconscious?" Leaning forward to get a better look at the offering, Shiro took one half cautiously.

        "Two days." Retracting his hand, Sendak bit into the fruit.

        "Two days." Shiro repeated to himself as he sat back, slightly irritated. He spun the fruit with his fingers, looking from it to Sendak as the galra kept eating. He wasn't looking at Shiro, and it gave him time to really inspect the galra.

        Shirtless, Sendak had nothing on but spandex pants much like Shiro. His armor was nowhere to be seen in the cave, perhaps he had been hiding it in case Shiro thought of tampering with it.

        His body was toned, and of course littered with scars. His fur despite the time he said he lived here seemed perfectly groomed give or take. A few areas looked a bit dirty, but overall he looked ruggedly sturdy.

        Following his back down to the small of his back, Shiro squinted at what appeared to be the end of a tail. Puffy and sticking out from the top of Sendak's pants, it twitched briefly.

        Averting his gaze and allowing his eyes to follow Sendak's hip line, Shiro eyed his toned belly. Out of all the galra he had met he had only known them to be skinny things. He had never seen one outside of their armor and in truth was surprised they actually were covered completely in fur.

        "See something you like?" Sendak's voice snapped Shiro to attention and he looked away.

        "Tsk." He ignored Sendak sticking his long tongue out, lapping lewdly at the fruits inside to further irritate him. Instead he put his attention back on his half of his fruit, bringing it up to his nose to give it a sniff. Sure Sendak could eat it, but what about him? Then again if Sendak really wanted to kill him he could have done it already.

        Taking a bite of the fruit, Shiro felt the hair on the back of his neck stand up at the taste. It was sweet, juicy and at this point was the best thing he had eaten in months. He chomped down another bite, and then another until it was gone. Licking his fat lip, he jumped when Sendak's hand appeared in front of him, another fruit half being offered to him.

        Without a sound, Shiro took it and ate it a little more reserved this time. Each bite he savors, enjoy it and the warmth of the fire as the night goes on. Nothing but silence passes between them, it's somewhat peaceful, but every time Sendak moved, Shiro stiffened.

        Eventually exhaustion started to get the better of him. More than once he caught his head falling forward and his eyes growing heavier and heavier. Every nerve in his body begging for him to just lie down and rest, but he resisted.

        From his sitting place, Sendak watched the struggle, amused by Shiro's groggy face and resistance.

        "You _can_ lie down." Gesturing with his head at the pelt that Shiro had woken up on in the first place, he saw Shiro knit his browns together. No doubt he was wondering if that was Sendak's bed in the first place. "You can sleep."

        "Haha," Shiro laughed dryly, "so it's easier to kill me?" Again, he knew Sendak could have before, but he was still paranoid.

        Sendak gave no answer and instead just shrugged, his attention going back to the fire which he had placed a few more sticks into. Poking it until the flame was rather large, Sendak was quiet.

        It hadn't taken long for the warmth of the fire and the dull ache of Shiro's wound to finally get the better of him. Towering over, he fell on his side against the soft pelts but continued to try and keep his eyes open. The white tuft of hair fell over his nose and he shook it aside, squinting at Sendak as the world around him blurred. Hell, he was so tired.

        Finally, his body settled and he slumped, allowing himself back into the void for a little while longer.

        Waiting and watching Shiro's breathing, Sendak arose from his spot by the fire and moved close to the exhausted paladin. Kneeling down beside him and extending his clawed hand, he grabbed at a discarded pelt. Dragging it up and over Shiro's body, he huffed himself before turning back to the fire.

        With his back to Shiro he sat and placed his single hand on his thigh and listened to the fire crackle before him.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well finally, right? Well I did say this was going to be a long haul fic update. Im attempting to work on more than one fandom at a time (which Ive never done before since I always liked to center around one) but I did/do have every intention to update everything I have that's not finished.  
> Because I finished this at 7am, it's not edited and at some point (later today or in a few days it will be edited) Ill remove this message when its edited.

He’d opened his eyes, shifting in place and squinting as the world around him refused to focus. Blurred and blobbed objects crossed his field of vision but it was the large purple smear in front of him that his eyes wandered too.

He’d blinked a few times, attempting to will his vision back into focus and when it refused it pulled his hands up and out from under the warmth of the pelts. Sliding them up along his face and across his eyes to rub for no more than a moment, he peeked through spread fingers at the blob before him.

He didn’t need clear vision to recognize Sendak, back to him, still poking at an equally blurry fire. His form was distinct, the high outline of his pointed ears Shiro could identify from a mile away.

Reaching up to rub at his face once more, Shiro let out a soft groan. A part of him had hoped this all would be some strange fever dream. His subconscious playing cruel tricks on him while his body attempted to heal. He had hoped that when he next opened his eyes he would be lying face up in the river bed next to his lion. Unfortunately for him, when he slid his hands away from his face a second time, Sendak was still there and all of this was real.

Slowly, Shiro pushed himself up from the mass of pelts, allowing the one that had been draped over his form to slowly slide down his shoulder. He winced, body aching all over as he sat himself upright.

The pelts had been nice, but even a few stacked on top of one another hadn’t hidden the hardness of the cave floor. Though Shiro really couldn’t complain, it was better than sleeping directly on the clammy cave floor, and as far as he knew, he was taking up Sendaks only sleeping space.

Glancing up at Sendak, who had made no indication of noticing Shiro had awoken, was busy at work mixing something in what Shiro could only assume was a makeshift bowl.  His ears twitched on occasion, and that little stub of a tail flicked every few seconds, his attention on whatever it was he was concocting.

Paying no mind to it, Shiro averted his gaze back to his own form. Picking up the pelt that had fallen to his waist line, Shiro peeked at the blood stained bandages now turned a faint brown. Despite the majority of the pain seeming to have diminished, a dull ache still remained.

Picking at the end of the bandage, Shiro delicately pulled it back, abruptly stopping when the fabric caught against the tender flesh. As if he had torn off a scab, the wound throbbed as it reopened, the open air stinging the exposed flesh.

“Ngn!” What he had managed to pull off was strangely gooey, leaving long clear strands stuck to him and the bandage. Whatever the goo was, it was smeared along the large purple slash across his side, and from what Shiro could see, the slice had shrank since the last time he had seen it.

Ears twitching and turning backwards, Sendak suddenly sat up and turned towards Shiro. As if catching the paladin doing something he shouldn’t, Shiro had stiffened the moment their eyes met.

Before Shiro could move or even think about what to do, Sendak was up and by his side. Kneeling down with the bowl on his hand, Sendak sat down and placed it in his lap.

“What are you-” Shiro began as he tried to pick the pelt up back over his exposed form. Unable to finish his question, he was pushed down by a large purple hand, pinning him against the pelts.

“Lay still.” Sendak’s voice was low, His claws faintly digging into Shiro’s chest as a warning not to move.  

“What the hell are you doing?” Trying to sound significantly more pissed than worried, Shiro watched Sendak slide his hand from his chest and glide it down his belly. Before he could make another sound of protest, Sendak yanked the bandages back.

Arching from the pelts and howling, Shiro felt Sendak’s hand against his chest once more, pushing him back down and keeping him there until he relaxed. Chest heaving, sweat beaded against Shiro’s forehead, white hot pain searing into his side as the wound was fully exposed.

“Stop,” Grasping weakly at Sendak’s furry arm, Shiro squeezed feebly, “stop-” Breathless, his hand slid away from Sendak’s forearm, and after a moment of attempting to catch his breath, he felt the galra remove his hand again.

Picking up the bowl he had been working with, Sendak tipped it towards Shiro, showing him the gooey concoction on the inside. It looked identical to the goo across his wound, thick, clear, and sticky.

“It’s for your wound, now stop squirming.” Setting the bowl back down in his lap, Sendak put his attention back towards the druids wound. “It’s helping to heal this faster. I’d already applied some when I first found you.” Dipping claw tipped fingers into the bowl and scooping out a hefty amount of the chunky substance, the galra reached down towards Shiro’s midsection. He paused when Shiro suddenly sucked his form in, flinching at the incoming contact. “The wound it still fresh, the bandages will stick to it unless there is something to keep them separated. Now hold still.” Smearing the goo across the wound, Sendak ignored Shiro’s bitten off curse.

“Ngn!” Face burning, Shiro turned his head to the side, eyes squeezed shut as Sendak worked. Attempting to not think about how many times Sendak had treated his unconscious form, Shiro just bit the inside of his cheek and held still the best he could. Every few smears of goo his side throbbed in protest, but after the first few smears had been applied, the burning sensation was nothing more than a dull ache.

“If there was a regen tank here, it would take you only a few hours to heal this.” Sendak spoke softly as he worked, his claws scraping the bottom of the claw bowl. “AT this rate it will be a few days, maybe a week. Hope you don’t mind the scar.” The dirty look Shiro shot Sendak had the galra purring, the little lump of fur that made up his tail twitching in delight.

“I could have done this myself.” Sitting himself back up on his elbows and swatting Sendak’s hand away, Shiro wrapped the bandage back around himself.

“You certainly couldn’t when I first found you.” Sitting back on his haunches, Sendak set the empty bowl down by his side. “You screamed like a new born galra pup, befitting for a _champion_.” Leaning back to avoid a swat from Shiro, Sendak moved himself back over to his rock by the dwindling fire. Poking at it a bit to bring some life back, Sendak glanced over his shoulder to see Shiro running the back of his hand over his sweaty forehead. “Collect yourself paladin. We’re going to hike back to the river for your lion.”

“It wasn’t operational the last time I was with it.” Pushing the pelts back and turning himself so he could lean back up against the wall, Shiro placed a hand over his sore side.

“If it’s damaged, I can help you restore it,” Itching at the middle of his back, Sendak continued, “it’s not like my own pod is going anywhere in the meantime. Might be good for spare parts, and that’s it.”

“Then what?” Glancing over his shoulder, Sendak’s ears twitched at Shiro’s dirty look. “Am I supposed to just… deliver you back to Zarkon?” There was no point in dancing around the inevitable. What _would_ happen if Shiro had the ability to leave? What would he do if he brought Sendak with him, left him somewhere he could at least get a ship and go about his way. What if he just vanished into obscurity, or what if he went back to the empire and put more lives on the line? What about everything that had happened prior? How could he just let all of that slide?

There is a brief moment of silence between the two of them, Sendak turning back to the fire and poking it a few more times before sighing.

“Would you leave me here?” Voice soft, Sendak’s ears fold back slightly, almost disappointed but not surprised.

Averting his gaze, Shiro _tsked_ to himself and shook his head. As a paladin of Voltron, he couldn’t leave Sendak behind, but as Shiro, it was more than possible. More than anything he wanted to walk away, but Sendak was all he had right now.

“I don’t know.” The reply was almost inaudible, but from the slump of Sendak’s shoulders, the galra had heard. “It won’t matter anyway if I can’t get my lion up and running.” Glancing around the cave, Shiro squinted, “for now, we’re stuck with one another.” Might as well make the most of it, and by the most of it, try not to kill each other in the meantime. “Where is my shirt?”

        “It’s junk.” Half turning and itching at a tuft of fur along his collarbone, Sendak’s good eye scanned over Shiro’s hairless form. 

        “I’m not wandering around without a shirt on.” God knows what kind of insects inhabit this forsaken planet. “It can’t be that bad.” It wasn’t like it was ripped off of him during the chase with those beasts. 

        Picking a few bits of dirt from his fur, Sendak managed a small sigh before pushing himself up and off of the rock. Walking past where Shiro was sitting and towards the back of the cave shrouded in mostly darkness, he shuffled around. 

        “Here-” Before Shiro could throw up his hands to catch the fabric tossed at him, it hit his face and flapped over his head. 

        Pulling the scrap of fabric from his head and flapping it out, Shiro peered through one of the holes sliced into the side. Sendak had been somewhat right, the shirt was junk, but wearable. It was better than nothing. 

        “Thanks.” Sliding it over his head and attempting to smooth it out the best he could, Shiro sighed as he stuck his fingers through a few of the holes. 

        “Ready to go?” Sendak had moved back across the cave, now standing at it’s mouth. His singular optical eye glistened as he watched Shiro struggle to stand utilizing the wall for balance. His legs trembled and he stayed with his back to the wall for a good five seconds before finally pushing himself away from it and walking forward. 

        “Let’s go.” Walking past Sendak with a slight limp, Shiro paused a few feet outside of the cave, eyes blinking rapidly as they tried to adjust to the light. 

        The cave they had been sheltered in was surrounded by lush forest, colored with alien flowers Shiro had never seen before It had been surprisingly well hidden, the cave being nothing more than a lump on the land that descended into the planet's crust. 

        Above, Shiro could make out a few birds, or at least what would be this planet's equivelent of them were. Decorated in exotic colors, they were at least four times the size of regular birds and harbored lizard like tails. 

“You’re lion is several miles to the north.” Pushing past Shiro, Sendak started walking down a path. “Make haste if you want to get their before dark.” 

        Pressing his hand to his injured side, Shiro made haste to follow Sendak, making sure to keep several feet behind him just in case the galra got any ideas. Thankfully for him, Sendak doesn’t seem to pay much mind to him for most of the journey, only occasionally looking back to make sure Shiro was still following behind. 

        Slowing his pace now and again when Shiro showed signs of lagging behind, Sendak would even pauses his paces to allow Shiro to catch up entirely. Only when the paladin glared at him did he shrug and keep moving. 

        Despite trying to keep his attention on anything that might signal Shiro that Sendak would turn on him, the galras frequently swiveling ears had been an ample distraction. Sure, Shiro could sometimes hear the noises Sendak’s ears twisted to, but sometimes he couldn’t. What interested him more was how Sendak would sometimes turn to a noise that interested him and sniff at the air, thoughtful. Ultimately it had lead to nothing more than a grunt and Sendak rolling his shoulders.

        The ears had been distracting, but what drew Shiro’s attention for most of the trip was that little nub of a tail popping from the back of Sendak’s pants. It twitched now and again but for the most part held still over the lip of Sendak’s pants. 

_         I wonder if they all have tails. _

        Allowing his eyes to wander away from Sendak’s back, Shiro rubbed some sweat from the top of his forehead. His body ached all over, and as much as he wanted to sit and rest for a few minutes, he kept walking. The sooner he got to his lion and got off the rock, the sooner he could rest in a real bed and get real treatment for his wound. 

        “Just past this ledge.” Sendak’s voice snap’s Shiro’s attention back towards him. “There.” Pausing on the edge, Sendak pointed. 

        Right where he had left it, the black lion laid with half it’s body still submerged in the riverbed. At no point had it looked like it had tried to sit itself back but, but Shiro had been pleased to see that it’s shield was indeed activated. 

        “I have to get down there-” Cut off the moment Sendak’s clawed finger appeared in front of his face, Shiro followed the point towards a steady decline a few paces away. 

        Without another word, Shiro heads for it, slowly sliding himself down the slope as to not irritate his wounds until finally he lands on the rocky shore of the riverbed. Not waiting for Sendak to make it down, Shiro rushed through the water towards his lion.

        The relief that had washed over him the closer he got was short lived as his face and chest collided with the shield full speed. Bouncing back from the shield and falling flat on his backside, Shiro looked up, dazed. 

        “Wha-” The shield rippled but did not dissipate

        “Graceful.” Sendak scoffed from behind him, his single hand suddenly clamping down on Shiro’s arm and hauling him up to his feet. 

        Wrenching his arm from Sendak’s grasp, Shiro shook his head and looked back at his lion. Shocked and confused, he placed his hands on the shield, watching ti ripple under his touch. 

        “It’s me,” Struggling to keep his voice from shaking, Shiro pressed his fingers harder into the shield, “it’s alright, you can put this down now. I’m here.” 

        A long moment of silence followed, the shield doing nothing but sending a dull vibration through Shiro’s palms. 

        “Please!” Shiro snapped, his palms now becoming fists as he pounded them against the shield. “It’s me!” The shield rippled with each strike, but at no point did it falter. “Please!”

        “Tsk.” Standing in the river a few feet from Shiro, Sendak placed his hand on his hip and just watched. 

        “It’s because of you!” Whirling around and pointing an accusing finger at Sendak, Shiro snarls. “It’s because you’re here that the shield won’t come down.”

        “I doubt it.” Giving the lion a once over, Sendak shrugs and gestures towards the lions offline eyes. 

        “It has to be!” Turning back towards the lion and pressing his forehead against the shield, Shiro just shakes his head. 

        Shaking his own head, Sendak moved away, attempting to give Shiro and his lion some space. 

        “ _ Please _ -” What the hell was wrong with this thing? Why wouldn’t it listen to him? Why did it sometimes do what he wanted and seem to connect with him on every level, and other times seem so distant? After everything they had been through, it still didn’t trust him, was that it? “Why don’t you trust me?” He had done everything he was supposed to, lead like he thought was the right way, saved people,  _ lost his arm _ . Why was it being like this?

        Shoving himself away from the shield and turning towards the river, Shiro stalked into the water and began to kick it about. Cursing louder and louder with each kick, he snarled, picking up rocks and throwing them up stream while Sendak watch from ashore. 

        He watched the tantrum for the three  minutes it had lasted before sighing when Shiro collapsed on shore. Heading over to where Shiro had been laying flat on his back, Sendak looked down at him, shaking his head as he watched Shiro struggle to catch his breath. His augmented hand was pressed firmly against his wound, now throbbing terribly from the exertion. 

        “Well, might as well make the trip worth it and look for anything that might be salvageable in the area.”

        “Whatever-” Sitting himself up and running his flesh hand through his soggy hair, Shiro sagged in place. 

        “Fine, sit there and sulk.” Without another word, Sendak wandered off into the brush, leaving Shiro to pick up and toss rocks into the riverbed. 

        By the time the sixth or seventh rock plopped into the water, Shiro finally took pause. Running his cold and wet hands over his face, he just sighed and stared into the water. 

        “Champion,” Sendak’s voice sounded from his left and he looked up. 

        “Stop calling me th-” Arms scrambling when several large round items were dropped into his lap, Shiro looked down. 

        “Carry those. I can’t hold as many with one arm.” Dropping two more of the familiar fruits down to Shiro, Sendak turned away from him and vanished back into the bushes. Returning a few minutes later with a few more fruits, he gestured with his head to Shiro to follow him. “Let’s head back, don’t want to be in the open like this when the sun starts to go down.” Without another word, Sendak turned towards the way that had came and began walking. At no point had he looked back this time to see if Shiro had been following him, but the paladin stood begrudgingly. 

        The sun had just touched the horizon by the time they had made it back to their cave, the fire in the center dwindling from lack of care. 

        Setting his share of fruits down by his pelts, Shiro found himself peeling his soggy shirt off and draping it over one of the rocks by the fire to dry. 

        “It may just need more time to charge.” Sendak’s voice is low as he sits on his usual rock, once again tending to the fire until it was a glowing blaze. “The red lion was similar when we had it on Zarkons ship. For months it’s eyes were offline, and then one day… it just sat up.” Glancing up when Shiro sat himself down on the rock across from him, Sendak fed a few twigs into the fire. 

        Hah-” Sendak’s attention snapped up again at the chuckle and his ears twisted backwards as he watched Shiro’s face twist. “Hah! I can’t believe this-” Hiding his face into he palms of his hands, the exhausted paladin cracked up. Laughing loud enough that it echoed among the small walls of the cave, he leaned back and slapped his own thigh. “I can’t believe this.” As quickly as the laughter had started, it was gone, and Shiro had curled in on himself. Rubbing at his tired eyes and tugging momentarily at the white tuft of hair, he sighed and leaned back. “Trapped all over again.” 

        Ears shifting forward, Sendak raised a singular eyebrows before pulling his attention away from the cracking Champion. 

        “Get closer to the fire and dry off.” Was all the galra said, his little tail wagging slightly when Shiro scooted closer to the flame, soaking up its warmth. 

        “What’s it like?” 

        “What’s what like?” Scratching at his left ear, Sendak looked up once more, watching Shiro absently stare into the flames. 

        “Living alone, here, all the time?” Looking up when Sendak hadn’t answered right away, Shiro raised an eyebrow at the galra’s thoughtful look. 

        “Wasn’t easy at first.  Like I said, I was stuck in the pod for a while before I could break out of it. For a few days I thought I never would.” A small smirk crossed Sendak’s face as he continued, “but as you can see I managed. Food had been hard to come by at first. Hard to tell what’s edible and what isn’t. I could have poisoned myself if I wasn’t careful and even then, everything I tried I had to take in small quantity just in case. Had to learn what animals were local, which ones I could hunt, and which ones could hunt me.” Tilting his head towards the fruit, he continued. “Fruits are common, east to come by, but difficult to carry due to their size. I used to be able to gather a few days worth in a few trips but now that you’re here it will be easier. We might be able to even hunt a larger animal, eat something  _ good _ one night.” A deep purr hummed in the center of Sendak’s chest at the thought of it. Licking his lips, he shrugged. “Like I said before, galra were made to adapt, to survive, so I managed. Now that you’re here, things  _ should _ be better. That is if the  _ Champion _ can handle it.” Pleased with the glare he received, Sendak picked up one of the fruits they had gathered and dug his clawed thumb into it’s peel. Pulling it back just enough, he tossed it at Shiro. “Eat, then we will tend to your wound again before resting. Tomorrow we will try again.”

        Running his fingers over the smooth fruit’s skin, Shiro dug his thumbs into the hole Sendak had created for him and began to peel it. Pulling the fruit apart, he ate quietly.


	4. Chapter 4

This had been the first time Shiro had awoken before Sendak. He had grown used to rolling over with sleep blurred eyes to see a blotchy purple figure sitting by the fire. Except this time, there was none. 

Sendak, who normally spent his time poking at a dying fire in the morning was instead, laying down on the other side of the cave. He was laying on a few pelts, back to Shiro while his head rest against his furry arm. His back rose and fell rhythmically with each harsh breath he took in, and if Shiro listened closely he could hear those harsh pants.

Sitting up with a hand pressed to his injured side, Shiro winced as the still healing wound reminded him it was still very much there. Thankfully, the agonizing thob that had plagued him for the past two days seemed to have dulled a bit. It had become tolerable, and when he peeled back the bandage, he had been more or less pleased to see the gouge to his side was actually healing.

So much smaller than it had been the day before, Shiro had let a soft sigh of relief escape him. Sendak had been right, maybe a day or two more and it would be completely gone. A very good thing, considering Shiro had had enough of it throbbing bitterly every time he moved an inch. 

Shiro’s eyes flicked away from his wound and scanned around the cave until they found what they were looking for. The little bowl of goop that Sendak had been smearing on his wound since day one. It had been resting on a little rock by the fire, and with a little effort, Shiro reached it and tugged it over.

He blinked in surprise to see that the bowl of goop he had thought close to empty had been replenished. At some point, Sendak must have mashed up more of whatever it was in the bowl for him.

Thumbing the edges of the bowl, Shiro looked up from it and over at Sendak, still asleep. Unable to understand why Sendak, of all galra, was going to such lengths to keep him alive. To  _ heal _ him after he had tried to kill him several times. He didn’t have to do this, didn’t have to save him either, and yet, here he was making sure shiro had food, water, and medicine for a wound that shouldn’t be so easily tended to. Why?

Deciding not to dwell on it long, Shiro dipped his fingers into the goop and smeared it across his wound. He grimaced, the goop burning like it always did at first contact before fizzling out to a dull ache. Once done, Shiro wrapped his bandages around himself and tied them tight before standing.

Brushing himself off and tugging on his dirty shirt, he stretched out his sore muscles the best he could. The pelts had helped, but sleeping on the floor hadn’t been the best for his sore muscles and creaky joints. From the sound of everything popping, he might as well have been an old man. 

Rubbing at the middle of his back, Shiro wandered over to a small pile of sticks and gathered a few into his arms. Carrying them over to the fire, he stacked them nearly and poked at the embers. Encouraging the flame to take life once more, he sighed as he poked around the ashes. 

Unable to help himself, Shiro’s eyes had wandered from the burning embers to Sendak’s sleeping form. Twice he tugged his eyes away, but again and again they continued to wander to that furry back of his. 

It was already clear to Shiro that Sendak’s skin was scared, but looking at him up close like he was only emphasized his tattered hide. There had been several littered across his chest, legs, and arm, but his back had been so much worse. It hadn’t helped that the scars were not small either, some running from one side of his back to the other. The larger ones had been more prominent, Sendak’s beautiful purple coat not quite grown back enough to conceal them like the smaller ones. There didn’t seem to be a single spot on the galra’s body that hadn’t had a scar on it. Despite the fur missing, Sendak didn’t look mangy, or even scraggly. The galra, a ruthless war general, was well groomed, fur well kept and as neat as one could get it. 

The one thing that had really interested Shiro though, was Sendak’s little tail. Had it always been that small? Or like his arm, had it been the result of an accident? Out of all the galra Shiro had seen, none of them had tails, but then again… he had only seen generals. Had cropped tails been a thing for galra commanders? He’d wanted to ask but didn’t want to give Sendak the satisfaction of him knowing he had been staring at him. Especially close to his backside, were alarmingly large dimples could be seen just above Sendak’s pant line. 

Shaking his head and pulling his attention back on the fire, Shiro rubbed his face with one hand. Rubbing at his tired eyes, he took in a deep breath and sighed softly

Still, he couldn’t believe Sendak could sleep so soundly with his supposed enemy ten feet away from him. Not too long ago they had been at each other’s throats, determined to kill one another. Except now, they were at each other’s mercy and the world around them. Still, he had been confused as to why Sendak hadn’t at least been a little worried about Shiro trying to kill him in the middle of the night. He hadn’t needed Sendak in any regard, all Shiro needed was for the lion to recharge and drop its shield and he would be gone. So why just lay there, back to him, exposed and vulnerable?

Perhaps it was just a sign of good faith. The galra had been here for a  _ long  _ time, alone. Shiro was probably was the only thing sentient that he had come across since landing here. Plus, Shiro was  _ still _ technically his only way off the planet. Sendak wasn’t stupid, he was well aware that killing Shiro would gain him nothing. Without him, the lion would never drop its barrier, so what was the point other than to tolerate him. 

Still, Shiro should have been worried about the same things. While he slept, Sendak could have killed him at any time, especially in his weakened state. But of course, it wasn’t smart to do, so he dealt with him, at least for now.  _ Dealing _ with one another was their best option. At least for now.

Once the fire had picked up, Shiro moved from its side and walked to the mouth of the cave. Once there, he sighed and leaned against the cave’s opening, arms crossed. His eyes scanned the area, wandering over every large bush and every extra large tree. 

For a planet that was located in the middle of God knows where, it was terribly peaceful. The land around him was quiet except for the soft hum and chirp of insects. On occasion he could hear some sort of loud animal screeching in the background, but it had never been anything other than some strange alien looking bird. Late at night seemed to be the only time he heard muffled roars of what he thought might be those large beasts that had chased him. He had wondered why they never bothered to dwell closer to the cave, but perhaps they didn’t like hunting in the dense wooded forest.

The sun had already risen, but because of how thick the treetops had been, only little bits of light crept through the cracks above. Sunlight flecked the ground below, giving the forest a rather eerie yet mysterious feeling. It was beautiful, warm out, and if not for the circumstances, he may have deeply enjoyed being here. 

Glancing over his shoulder and looking upon Sendak’s sleeping form, Shiro wondered if he should wake him. He had wanted to head back to his lion as soon as possible, but if Sendak  _ was _ the cause of why the lion had put its shield up, it would have been better to go alone. At least just to find out if it was Sendak who was causing it to put up its defenses.

Taking a moment more to contemplate himself, Shiro pushed himself away from the wall and began to walk down the tiny path between the bushes. The path was narrow, having been made by Sendak’s coming and going, but more often than not the path was nonexistent. It hadn’t mattered, Shiro knew where the lion had landed and knew how to get back to the riverbed.

He’d taken a bit of a detour when the path vanished again, deciding to take in a bit of the sights while he was alone and feeling well enough to finally travel by himself. At least he hadn’t had Sendak by his side to make up awkward conversation with. 

Despite wandering off from the barely formed trail, Shiro had more or less stayed somewhat close to his route. Taking care to map out different areas and make mental notes of markers in the land just in case he may need them at a later point. He had walked a good half an hour from camp when he had started to notice strange marks along some of the trees.

Pausing at one and touching it with his fleshed hand, Shiro traced the very evident claw marks gouged into the tree’s bark. He hummed at it, leaning to his right to peer at several trees behind it who also bore similar marks. 

It really hadn’t perplexed him what… or in this case  _ who _ had created them and why. Sendak, of course, no doubt having used them as markers to guide himself at one point. 

The marks lead deeper into the forest, in the opposite direction that Shiro had come from and certainly not in the direction of Sendak’s cave. 

Curiosity had gotten the better of the man, and without Sendak by his side to try and convince him to stay on the path, the paladine moved to follow the claw marks. Deeper and deeper he walked into the woods until he entered a small clearing. 

He paused the moment he stepped out of the bushes, his eyes locking onto something large across the clearing. It hadn’t taken him long to recognize what it was, or the pit in his stomach to twist and turn until he felt a knot form in his throat.

Sendak’s containment capsule.

The very same capsule that Shiro had ejected from the castle all that time ago was laying across the gap in its very own tiny crater. The impact zone had been a good thirty or so feet from where the capsule had landed and slid, coming to rest against a very large tree. From the amount of vines and foliage that had started to grow around the capsule, it had been there a while… a  _ long  _ while. 

Slowly and with much more caution than necessary, Shiro moved towards the capsule. He hadn’t realized he had been holding his breath until he felt lightheaded upon getting to the pods side. He stopped in his tracks upon noticing the large gaping hole in the front of the pod. The protective glass had been shattered, no small feat considering it’s thickness. That had been evident enough considering there had been a decent amount of what looked like dried blood on the jagged edges of the glass. On the interior, Shiro could make out claw marks, hundreds of them scraping at the glass and the insides of the capsule.

Upon impact, the capsule’s stasis no doubt had failed, waking Sendak up from his forced slumber. Not only that, but the impact must have damaged the automatic capsule door, trapping Sendak inside… awake… and alive. Trapped, alone, and for who knows how long.

It was clear from the blood and claw marks that Sendak had no other choice but to die or claw his way out. It had to have taken days… maybe even a week to crack the glass, let alone shatter it. Especially with one arm. 

Stepping away from the pod with a strange sense of guilt swelling in the pit of his stomach, Shiro looked around the rest of the clearing. Only then had he noticed the rocks close by formed into a small circle and the remnants of a fire pit long past. Not far from it, large sticks had been positioned up against a heavy tree to make a temporary shelter, not scattered and broken from the weather.

At some point, Sendak must have spent a few days here after breaking out of the pod, and judging from the bits of broken metal littered around the pod and a few panels missing from one side, Sendak had tried to make contact off planet with it. Judging from the scattered bit though, it hadn’t worked out like he had hoped. No doubt the pod too damaged, or the planet too far from any outpost within range of whatever signal he could make.

One last thing had caught Shiro’s eye, on the opposite side of the stasis pod, there had been perfect little scratches carved into the pods armor. Dozens of them littered across the plating until there had barely been enough room for any more. 

Day markers. 

Sendak had indeed been trapped here on this planet for quite some time. Months, which shouldn’t have come off as that much of a surprise to Shiro, since he  _ was _ the cause of it and was well aware of how much time had passed since the ejection.

Giving the old camp one last look, Shiro moved back onto the brush and continued his way to the riverbed. As he walked, he considered the distance Sendak had traveled from there back to the cave. Having wondered just how long it had taken the galra to find a new place to sleep. Something a little more permanent and safe if he no doubt believed he was going to be trapped here for what was going to be the rest of his life.

The guilt that had swelled hadn’t dissipated the farther he walked from the crash site. Instead it seemed to take root, making Shiro wonder what it would have been like if he had been trapped, pretty much buried alive in a stasis pod. Slowly starving to death, growing weaker and weaker and losing hope one day after another. He had escaped captivity once, he couldn’t bare the thought of it a second time… especially when it came to dying alone.

Shaking his head, Shiro pushed through the bush for another hour until finally the riverbed was in sight. Relief had washed over him upon seeing his lion, but it was replaced quickly with dread upon seeing the lion’s shield was still up. 

Hoping the barrier dropped when he drew near, he felt his heart sink when he slid down the small slide to the water and walked across the stream. Gingerly, he reached out and placed his hand on the shield, a small ripple forming, but the barrier not dropping.

Guess Sendak hadn’t been the issue after all. 

“I understand if you don’t think I’m fir to be your paladin anymore.” Speaking so softly his voice was all but a whisper, Shiro just shook his head. “I don’t know what I’m doing or what I am supposed to do. I feel…” He paused, not really sure what to say. If anything he felt misguided, confused, and as much as he hated to admit it, terrified. When he left earth to explore the stars, he hadn’t thought all of  _ this _ would happen. How was he supposed to be read for something like this?   
Letting his hand slide away from the shield, Shiro turned away from the black lion and walked over to the water. Sitting down on a large rock with a huff, he took in a deep breath and let out a defeated sigh.

_ Now what _ ?

 

* * *

He paused in the brush when he heard muffled shouting, his ears suddenly standing at attention. They turned either which way on his head, honing in on exactly where the noise had been coming from. Narrowing down the voices location, he listened on for a few moments more before he recognized Shiro’s voice.

Pushing through the bush, Sendak moved into the clearing just above the riverbed and looked down. His singular eye scanned the area, taking only a moment to look at the black lion, still protected and downed on the river’s edge. Paying no mind to it, he scanned the river itself, locking onto Shiro right away who had been standing knee deep in the center of it. He was wading around, wandering back and forth, attention focused on tracking something below the water’s surface. He spun around multiple times, and when he was facing Sendak, the galra noticed he was soaking wet. Whatever it was he was doing, he had been doing it for quite some time.

In that moment, Shiro snapped his hands down into the water, cursing as something in his grasp thrashed wildly. It hadn’t taken Sendak long to figure out Shiro was attempting to fish with his bare hands. From the looks of it, Shiro hadn’t been doing so well and ever fish in the river had not only alluded him, but soaked him in the process.

Unable to help the deep chuckle that escaped his chest, Sendak watched on a little longer. He’d never heard the paladin  _ curse _ so much, not even when he was a captive. It was interesting to watch him when he thought he was alone. 

Watching Shiro suffer for another five minutes, Sendak finally moved himself down to the river’s edge. There, he stood with his hand on his hip, a terribly amused grin on his face.

Shiro, having heard Sendak approaching, glancing over his shoulder in time to see Sendak’s irritating grin, scoffed.

“How did you know I was here?” There had been no bite to the question, and instead it came out quite flat. Having put most of his attention on another approaching fish, Shiro slowly moved towards it.

“There are not many places here I would expect you to go.” Shiro’s lion was really the only place Shiro had reason to return to. Without doubt, he would always find his way back to it no matter what. “Plus6,” Sendak begam, a little sass to his voice now, “I didn’t think you would be brave enough to wander too far from camp and risk running into one of those beasts again.” A jab at Shiro, who was still recovering and not quite back to his full strength yet. Still, his prosthetic arm had no power, and it was hard to say if it ever would again. Still, he was lucky it worked at all.

Smirking at the small  _ tsk _ Shiro made at him, Sendak moved himself into the river water. Shoving past Shiro and almost knowing the paladin off balance, Sendak took his place in the center of the water.

“I’ll show you how it’s done.” Putting his focus on the water and holding so still he seemed like a statue for a good ten seconds, Sendak moved like lightning. His arm was a purple flash as he jabbed his clawed fingers into the water. Wrenching a large alien looking fish from the water, he held it up above his head and shouted triumphantly. Spinning around to gain some momentum, Sendak tossed the fish on the rocky shore and placed his hand on his hip, that irritating grin back on his face as he directed it at Shiro.

Scoffing and doing his best to turn his attention anywhere except Sendak’s face, Shiro moved towards a idling fish by the edge of the water. Doing his best to be patient, he edges closer and closer until he’s diving for it. Desperate to catch it, Shiro wrapped his arms around it and yanked it up out of the water. Holding on as tightly as he could, he wiggled as the fish thrashed and flopped against him. He’d staggered, unable to balance himself well in the water and as a result, the rish slipped like a large bar of soap from his grasp. Falling back into the water, it zipped away from him, leaving him panting and irritated. It hadn’t helped that Sendak was howling behind him, laughing so hard he had staggered back in the water. It had Shiro’s cheeks burning red with embarrassment.

His laughter had been cut short when water splashed against him, drenching him. Immediately, his ears sagged, fur heavy as it absorbed the water and rendered him looking like a wet cat. 

He had been stunned at first, blinking with his good eye at Shiro and trying to figure out if he  _ really _ just splashed water at him. 

Shaking himself off and snapping his large purple ears upward, Sendak swept his massive hand across the water’s surface and sent a wave at the paladin.

Within seconds they were drenching one another, yelling and jumping to avoid each others splashing until the two of them were left standing at either side of the river, drenched and panting. 

Smoothing back the white tuft of hair on his head, Shiro looked up to see Sendak laughing. It was strange, considering it seemed genuine. He’d never heard anything like it from Sendak, at least not one that sounded menacing. Not only that, but something about the toothy grin on his face seemed less intimidating.

“We should go.” Trudging through the water and stepping onto shore, Sendak knelt down to pick up the fish and tuck it under his good arm. In the meantime, Shiro had nodded and also made his way to shore, standing not quite by Sendak side, but closer to him than usual.

“Tired of fruit?” 

“Hmm?” Having glanced back at his shielded lion for a moment, Shiro turned and looked at Sendak. 

“I assume you were not trying to catch this for fun.” He jostle the fish to get his point across.

“Oh,” Wringing out his shirt, Shiro shrugged. “No, but I just thought some meat might be a nice change.” He hadn’t been sure if Sendak had even had much of any the duration of his stay here. Not like he had someplace to store leftover meat if he had it. Most creatures here seemed larger than he alone could eat, but not that there had been two of them… maybe it would be a nice change.

Humming at that, Sendak turned and began making his way back up the river. Shiro, having quickly followed behind remained silent, spending a majority of the journey back to their cave staring at Sendak’s muscular back.

His mind had wandered, the bitterness that had twisted in his chest about the galra dissipating slightly. It was strange seeing a different side of him, but their circumstances had a lot to do with it. Trusting Sendak outright was still foolish, but not working with him was equally as foolish. So far things were not awful, not great either, but they were surviving, together.

Maybe being stuck here wasn’t so bad, at least not yet. All he could home for ws that it stayed that way. At least until someone came for him.


End file.
